JOB OBJECTIVE

The job holder will be responsible for leading and managing strategic initiatives aimed at developing a vibrant
innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem within KCA University. This position will be critical in aligning
entrepreneurship and innovation efforts with the University’s strategic goals, ensuring impact on society and the economy.

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DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design and implement programs that cultivate entrepreneurial skills among students, staff, and faculty; support the incubation and acceleration of startups and promote the protection and commercialisation of university-generated intellectual property.
• Identify and support promising business ideas for incubation and acceleration.
• Organise workshops, boot camps, and hackathons to foster creativity and innovation.
• Oversee the operations of KCA University’s incubation centre, ensuring it provides a supportive environment for startups.
• Develop policies and frameworks for startup admission, mentorship, and graduation.
• Provide technical and business development support to startups, including market access, funding opportunities, and legal compliance.
• Facilitate the protection of intellectual property generated within the University, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
• Develop strategies for licensing university technologies to industry partners or startups.
• Build partnerships with industry and government stakeholders to support technology transfer and commercialisation activities, facilitate access to funding and venture capital and provide capacity-building opportunities for students, faculty, and staff.
• Train faculty and students on innovation, intellectual property, and commercialisation.
• Manage budgets and resources allocated to the Entrepreneurship, Incubation, and Technology Transfer office.
• Develop metrics to assess the impact of entrepreneurship, incubation, and technology transfer initiatives.
• Prepare and present reports to the university management on program progress and achievements.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Entrepreneurship, or Business Management from an accredited/recognised institution.
• Six (6) years of relevant work experience, especially in commercialisation and technology transfer or in managing an incubation centre.
• Experience managing budgets and donor-funded projects is an added advantage.

OTHER SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Strong knowledge of intellectual property law, startup ecosystems, and commercialisation strategies.
• Excellent communication, networking, and leadership skills.
• Strong passion for working with startups and innovation-driven enterprises.